Petition

East Yorkshire Petition

“We the undersigned petition East Riding of Yorkshire County Council and East Yorkshire MPs to oppose fracking and the extraction of unconventional hydrocarbons, such as Shale Gas, Coal Bed Methane and Underground Coal Gasification, because of the unacceptable risks to neighbouring communities, the climate and the local environment.”

Key points

Fracking is coming to East Yorkshire.
Fracking has caused: water contamination, air pollution and earthquakes.
Other impacts include large numbers of vehicle movements and fracking may effect property value, farming and tourism.
Fracking is unlikely to reduce gas prices.
Fracking has been banned or suspended in many places including France, Germany, Bulgaria, and New York State.

We ask the Council to make a statement of intent and send a clear message by passing a motion opposing fracking.

Fracking is coming to East Yorkshire

The UK government has stated that it wants to go “all out for shale”* and that “shale gas is the future and we will make it happen”*.
They have not excluded East Yorkshire, and Lord Howell says that the, “deslolate north east”* … “have the gas and they have the local wish to see fracking investment”.*
A large part of East Yorkshire has already been licensed for oil and gas extraction, including fracking (PEDL183)* and licenses for Underground Coal Gasification have been issued off the coast and in the Humber Estuary.*
Rathlin Energy’s website stated “The Bowland shale is recognised regionally as a source rock for conventional oil or gas reservoirs, as well as a potential unconventional target for shale gas (DECC/BGS Shale Gas Report 2013).”
Rathlin Energy planned (summer 2014), and still has permission, to conduct a mini-frack test on the Bowland Shale, following core sample tests, that will provide information on the viability of the shale gas. Shale gas can only be extracted by fracking.

Impacts

Evidence linking water contamination to fracking–related activities is now indisputable.*
The structural integrity of wells can fail. These failures are common, unavoidable, and increase over time as wells age and cement and casings deteriorate.*
Air quality impacts from fracking–related activities are clearer than ever*
Community and social impacts of fracking can be widespread, expensive, and deadly*
High Volume fracking has only occurred once in the UK (Preese Hall well near Blackpool) and it caused earthquakes.*

Gas Prices

Several experts have stated that fracking is unlikely to reduce gas prices in the UK, including: Lord Browne, former BP Chief Exec., chairman of fracking company Cuadrilla, Government’s Lead Non-Executive Director; Ed Davey, Energy Secretary; David Kennedy, Head of the Committee on Climate Change; Lord Stern, London School of Economics.*